


I Can Hear the Bells (Dontcha Hear 'Em Chime?)

by wherehopelies



Series: I'd Rather Be With You (Say You Want the Same Thing Too) [1]
Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F, The Bellas Find Out, Wedding Fluff, bemily week 19, chloe is a nosy bitch which is really what the theme should be called today
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-11
Updated: 2019-03-11
Packaged: 2019-11-15 15:56:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18076421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wherehopelies/pseuds/wherehopelies
Summary: "Was she secretly dating someone, or had Emily just suddenly become a very private person? It was the not knowing that drove Chloe crazy."For bemily week19 day 1: the bellas find out. For the anon who wanted the bellas to find out at a wedding, this is what I came up with.





	I Can Hear the Bells (Dontcha Hear 'Em Chime?)

One scribble. That’s all it took for Chloe to be suspicious.

To be fair, though, it was a very suspicious scribble.

“Babe, I’m gonna order the pizza. What toppings do you want?”

Chloe peered at the suspicious scribble. What did it mean?

“Chloe?” A familiar pair of hands landed on her shoulders and she jumped out of her thought-spiral.

“Huh?”

Chicago laughed. “I said I’m gonna order the pizza.” He glanced at the paper in her hand. “Oh is that an RSVP?”

“Yeah,” Chloe said, gaze turning back to the thick reply card. “From Emily.”

“That’s great!”

“What do you think this scribble means?” Chloe narrowed her eyes at the offending pen mark - a singular scrawl of scratched-out, scribbled ink - on the line next to **Name of Guest**.

Chicago looked closer over her shoulder, his boy-smell comforting and nice, but Chloe was not to be distracted. “Um. I dunno. Looks like she was going to write something, but stopped. Maybe she got confused.”

Chloe hummed. “Maybe she was going to write her date’s name and then changed her mind. But I’m pretty sure she’s not dating anyone. I would know. She would tell the Bellas.”

“Maybe she was dating someone and went to write their name, but then stopped to ask if they were going to come and they said no,” Chicago suggested. “Or maybe she just didn’t realize what it was asking and scribbled it out so you didn’t think she’d be bringing a guest. Or _maybe_ she’s dating and _didn’t_ tell the Bellas. Maybe it’s a secret.”

Chloe’s mouth fell open. “A secret? From the Bellas? No. That would never happen. Bellas don’t keep secrets.”

“Didn’t Beca keep her internship a secret your last year of school?”

“Well.”

“And didn’t you keep your nodes surgery a secret for a bit?”

“I -- ”

“And didn’t --”

“OKAY honey. I get it.”

Chicago chuckled. “Sorry.” He gave her a hug from behind. “Why don’t you just ask her?”

Chloe felt a strange flutter of nerves in her stomach at the thought. “What if it _is_ a secret though?” The thought made her sad.

“If it is, I’m sure there’s a good reason.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I’m gonna get the pizza, okay? Pepperoni and onions, the way you like it?”

She nodded and his arms slipped off of her, pulling away as she heard him walk back into the other room.

She stared back at the scribble. Maybe it _was_ just a scribble. Nothing to worry about at all.

She had a wedding to plan. She didn’t have time to obsess about it.

//

Chloe was obsessing about it. There was no other word for it.

As the weeks before her wedding began to shrink, Chloe became more and more preoccupied with the planning. Yet, she couldn’t rid herself of the question:

Was Emily dating, and if so, why was it a secret?

She’d pulled up Facebook, but it had brought her only more confusion and doubt. When Emily had first joined the Bellas, Chloe had Facebook stalked her and distinctly remembered the _single_ status on her profile. And Chloe very much recalled the _Life Event_ posts when Emily and Benji became Facebook official and then, shortly after, unofficial once again.

Now, though, there was no relationship status visible at all. Not even _single_ or _interested in_. No, it was a hidden, inaccessible profile choice that left Chloe shocked, because if Emily had deliberately hidden information that had, at one time, been very public, then what did that _mean_?

Was she secretly dating someone, or had Emily just suddenly become a very private person?

It was the not knowing that drove Chloe crazy.

//

**Chloe:** Do you know if Emilys dating?

**Stacie:** dating how? like tinder dating or hooking up?

**Chloe:** yeah. or like in a relationship

**Stacie:** idts idk when she’d have time. all she does is go to class and hang with beca or watch bella sometimes. why what happened?

**Chloe:** just wondering… can’t wait to see you at the bachelorette party xoxox

**Stacie:** Aubrey better have planned something good. If not tho dont worry i can become a stripper at any time

**Chloe:** i know thats why i love you

//

**Chloe:** is emily dating someone?

**Beca:** why are you asking me this

**Chloe:** because you guys are so close!

**Beca:** why dont you ask emily yourself

**Chloe:** ugh beca

**Beca:** ugh chloe

**Chloe:** im still mad you guys arent coming to my party

**Beca:** i know im sorry but we cant fly there twice so quick back to back and i cant get both those weekends off work

**Chloe:** youre lucky i love you

**Beca:** lucky is definitely one word for it

**Chloe:** dont make me pitch slap you

**Beca:** lol. id like to see you try

//

Chloe also tried stalking Emily on Instagram, but the only recent pictures that weren’t aesthetic guitar posts were of Emily and Beca, or Emily and Bella, or of Emily and Beca and Bella.

Social media stalking had never left her so frustrated.

//

When the weekend finally came, Chloe wanted to say that the wedding was the most pressing and important thing on her mind. Of course she _wanted_ to say that, but she was almost convinced it’d be a lie.

She was getting married, for the aca-gods’ sake! She was getting married _tomorrow_! And yet, the rehearsal came and went, followed by the rehearsal dinner, and all Chloe could do was stare at Emily down the table, trying to decide if she should straight up ask Emily if she was dating someone. So far, she hadn’t been able to get her alone.

Finally, Chloe cornered her in the bathroom.

“Emily.”

There was a pause from behind the stall door. Chloe leaned her butt against the sink counter.

“Uh.” Came Emily’s voice. “Chloe...?”

“Yes, it’s me.”

“Oh. Hey. Hang on, I’m peeing.”

Chloe crossed her arms over her chest, nodding. “That’s fine. I just wanted to ask you something.”

“Oh, okay.” The sound of liquid hitting the toilet water began.

“So,” Chloe began, trying to keep her voice level and casual. “How are you?”

“I’m good, how are you?”

“Good. You know, getting married.”

Emily’s muffled voice came through the door excitedly. “I know, it’s so great. I’m so happy for you.”

“Thanks, yeah, love is great,” Chloe said, shoving aside her own happiness to get straight to the point. “Hey speaking of love, are you dating anyone?”

Instantly, the sound of liquid hitting the toilet water stopped. “What?”

“Are you dating anyone?”

There was a long pause. “Um. Well, actually. You know, yeah, I guess so. Kinda.”

Chloe’s heart dropped. “Kinda?”

“It’s um… it’s new.”

“How new?”

“Like two months-ish?”

Chloe pouted. “Oh. That’s not _that_ new. When were you going to tell the Bellas?”

“Well it’s compli -- um. Chloe can you just hang on, like, one second?” There was a rustling sound as Emily used the toilet paper and fixed her clothes, Chloe assumed. Then there was a flush and the stall door opened, revealing Emily in her dark blue rehearsal dress.

Her makeup was thick and dark, her hair straight down her back. She looked older than Chloe always remembered her as. She went to the sink, glancing at Chloe as she went. They looked at each other in the mirror while Emily washed her hands.

“I was - I mean, _we_ \- well.” Emily shook her wet hands over the sink and turned off the water. She gripped the edge of the counter, still looking at Chloe. “We’re still navigating this new… um, terrain? And it felt important that we figure things out before we told anyone. And then, well, you’re getting married. So. It’s complicated?”

Chloe’s eyes flitted over Emily’s reflection, taking in everything she knew about Emily and measuring it up to the Emily standing in front of her now. The way she held herself more confidently since her later college years. Her shorter hair, her more relaxed posture. These were all things that had changed slightly over the years. The way she looked at Chloe had always been the same, though, and she was giving Chloe that look now, questioning and eager for approval.

“I get that,” Chloe said, offering a smile. “It’s hard when things are new.”

Emily nodded vigorously. “Yeah. It’s not like, hard, exactly, but different and confusing sometimes.”

“The Bellas will always support you, Em.”

“I know,” Emily smiled. “Of course. I wasn’t worried.”

Chloe gave Emily’s shoulder an affectionate rub. “So, what’s their name? Who is it?”

Emily paused, uncertain and hesitant. “Uh. Well.” She slowly reached for a paper towel, as if biding her time. Chloe hummed impatiently. “Right. I imagined telling you this differently really. I’m not sure I should do it alone here, but, you know.” Chloe frowned in confusion. “I guess it’s fine? Um. So me and -- well. Hm. A few months ago me and --”

“Chloe!” The bathroom door swung open and they both jumped as Aubrey rushed in. “There you are. We’re waiting for you so we can start the toasts. Oh, hi Emily.”

“Uh. Hey, Aubrey.” Emily gave her a tentative smile, her eyes still on Chloe.

“Come on, you can fix your makeup later.” Aubrey grabbed Chloe by the hand and started to pull her out of the bathroom. Chloe huffed, but let Aubrey lead her back to the dining area.

She would have to interrogate Emily more on this later.

//

The toasts were all sappy and super emotional and Chloe maybe cried a little. It still wasn’t enough to distract her from her mission.

The only time she was able to get away from the guests and wedding party and follow in the direction she’d just seen Emily go, though, Emily wasn’t alone. Chloe was nosy, but she could keep a secret, and she wouldn’t bring it up in front of anyone else until Emily told them or said it was okay to talk about.

So when she saw Beca and Emily talking close together in the front of the restaurant where they were holding the rehearsal dinner, she was frustrated, but she backed off.  Plus, the situation seemed to be stressing Emily out, and watching Emily laughing with Beca had Chloe thinking she didn’t want to ruin the good mood.

Even if Beca and Emily were super close now, living out in LA and seeing each other all the time, and Beca probably already knew the person, Chloe wasn’t about to overstep boundaries.

Emily would tell Beca and the rest of the Bellas when she was ready.

Chloe just like, needed that time to be soon.

//

The next day was a rush of activity, of nerves, of excitement.

Any thoughts that weren’t of the wedding flew out the window as Chloe spent the day preparing to be married. Then it was time. They were playing the music, she was stepping down the aisle, staring at her handsome about-to-be-husband and smiling so wide her cheeks hurt.

His eyes were misty as she stepped up to the altar, and she could see nothing but him throughout the ceremony.

If she had looked anywhere else though, she might’ve noticed the sniffling of her mom in the front row, the quiet whispers about how beautiful she was from the guests, the hesitant fingers clasping around Emily’s hand by a small figure down the line of Bella-bridesmaids when they said _I do_.

//

Chloe thought nothing of it until she threw the bouquet. She turned around at the excited screeches of all the unmarried women, saw Emily apprehensively staring at the bouquet in her own hands, and then it all came rushing back.

“Wow, Em, guess you’re next,” Jessica was gushing.

“Pass it on, Em, you don’t need that kind of commitment,” Stacie advised.

“It’s a completely arbitrary tradition that means nothing,” Beca was saying lowly to Emily, her hand rubbing at Emily’s back gently. “Don’t freak.”

Chloe had to laugh. “Unless there’s something you wanna share, Em.”

Emily looked up, her mouth hanging open slightly. She looked at the flowers, at Chloe, at the flowers, at Beca by her side, at Chloe.

“Um.”

Fat Amy gasped. “There _is_ something she wants to share. Oho, Legacy, you little snatch.”

Emily shot Amy a look. “Little _what_?”

“Amy,” Aubrey warned. She gripped Emily around the arm. “It’s your business, Emily, don’t listen to these gossipy pitches.”

“What happened to ‘sisters don’t keep secrets’!” CR huffed. “Y’all be breaking this rule every damn month. I swear.”

“I’m…” Emily trailed off, her cheeks pinking. “I mean, I never said I wasn’t dating anyone. It wasn’t a secret.”

Flo made a noise of acknowledgement. “We always save the big reveals until the end, so this checks out.”

“What?”

“Never mind. You people have no meta-awareness.”

“Okay, you know what.” Beca made a move to stand between Emily and the crowd of Bellas. Around them, the dancing had begun again, so Beca had to talk over the music. “Maybe this is why we didn’t tell you guys.”

Chloe blinked at Beca. The Bellas gaped. Beca stared defiantly back. “I’m sorry,” Amy drawled. “What?”

“Yeah,” Beca said, nodding more firmly. “You heard right. _We_ didn’t tell you.”

“I figured you knew,” Chloe shrugged. “You didn’t have to spill the tea on Emily, though. It’s her business.”

Beca rolled her eyes. “ _I’m_ the other half of that business, thanks.”

“Oh geez,” Emily murmured as Chloe’s mouth fell open. “So we’re doing this. Um, see, like I tried to tell you, it’s complicated?” She gave Chloe an apologetic smile.

“Well we wanted to wait because you guys always make everything about you all the time,” Beca muttered. “And we wanted Chloe’s wedding to be about _her_ , not about us. But now you’ve gone and made both the wedding and our relationship about you guys.”

Chloe was processing. Sort of. At first she couldn’t, but then it all started clicking into place. The Facebook secrecy. The Instagram pictures. Beca and Emily being closer since they both moved to LA. Their cute laughing together in the lobby of the restaurant.

“Oh my God.” Chloe deadpanned. “Oh my freaking God.”

“Please don’t freak out, Chloe,” Emily begged. “We’re sorry, we didn’t mean to take attention away from the wedding.”

Laughter burst from Chloe’s chest. She grabbed Beca and Emily and pulled them into a hug. “I can’t believe this! This is the best thing that’s happened all year!”

Amy snorted. “You literally just got married.”

Tears collected in Chloe’s eyes as she let go of her friends. “I’m so happy for you guys.”

Beca and Emily exchanged a look. With pink cheeks, Beca leaned into Emily’s side. “Thanks, I guess?”

“You’re not mad?” Emily asked, that hoping question of approval in her eyes, the one she always turned on Chloe.

“Mad?” Chloe laughed again. “No, I love it. I love love.”

Beca and Emily looked at each other again, soft and enamored. “Well, uh, cool,” Beca said. “So can we, like, move on from this now?”

“Totes,” Chloe nodded, grabbing one of each of their hands and pulling them into the thick of the dancefloor. “Let’s dance.”

//

Later, when Chloe was finally done thanking every guest one-on-one for coming and had sat down to rest her feet, she thought she couldn’t be happier.

The night was winding down, there was a slow song playing, happy couples dancing together.

And there in the middle of it, two of her best friends, swaying to the song, lost in each other’s eyes. Beca’s arms were around Emily’s neck, Emily even taller that usual in her heels. She had to lean down slightly to say something to Beca under the music, and as Chloe watched, Beca blushed and laughed, looking away cutely.

Chloe’s romantic heart fluttered.

Everything was perfect.

“Hello, beautiful wife. May I have this dance?” Chloe beamed, looking up at her handsome husband, love sweeping her away in a current.

“You may.”

He led her onto the floor, next to her friends. Beca and Emily smiled at her, but then Chloe was lost in her own little world, her fingers cupped around Chicago’s neck, her eyes meeting his.

Now she really couldn’t be happier. Everything was truly perfect.

**Author's Note:**

> bemily week 19 is here!!! im so happy. as always you can hmu at emilyjunk.tumblr.com.
> 
> thank you for reading, and if you wanna show further support, please consider donating to my ko-fi at /angelachiarmonte.  
> thanks kids! enjoy the week!


End file.
